


Angeles

by the_spookable_smoosh



Category: TLOU2 - Fandom, The Last of Us, The Last of Us Two - Fandom, tlou - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Based on Angeles by Elliot Smith, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, corny but i love it, highly reccomend, its not that bad though, leave a kudos if you hate it, leave a kudos if you love it, semi-NSFW, we all need some corny Joel Miller in our lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:41:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29983026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_spookable_smoosh/pseuds/the_spookable_smoosh
Summary: Various flashes of Joel and Reader's life together.Song is Angeles by Elliot Smith but I prefer the version sung by Jensen Ackles! It gives me Joel vibes so here we are :) hope you enjoy!
Relationships: Joel (The Last of Us)/Reader, Joel / Ellie, Joel Miller / Reader, Reader / Ellie
Kudos: 3





	Angeles

_Someone's always coming around here_

_Trailing some new kill_

_Says "I've seen your picture on a_

_Hundred-dollar bill"_

“Who is she?” Joel’s gruff voice echoes off the concrete walls of the power plant they walked through. His footsteps seconds behind his younger brother’s. 

“Hell if I know. Maria says she knew her. Before.” Tommy’s blonde hair hits the light as he leads Joel outside, towards the perimeter wall. Towards their new guest. 

“She trusts her?” Joel has always been a stubborn son of a bitch, but that's nearly doubled now that Ellie is in the picture. His daughter-but-not is everything to him. Everything.

“Apparently. We’re just going down to-” Tommy is cut off by Joel grabbing his shoulder to stop him. 

“What the hell is she thinking? This girl could've been anything while she was out there! Shit, she could be a hunter for Christ’s sake!” He makes sure to keep his voice firm but quiet. They're close enough to the outside now that she -and anyone else she might’ve brought with her- would hear them. 

Tommy breathes a sigh before speaking. “Joel, you're my brother. I respect that. But this is my town. This is Maria's town. She and I decide who comes in and out. Not you.” Tommy looks at his brother with an “Understood?” look and gives a snort when Joel angrily nods his head in reluctant agreement. 

They continue their walk up the wall, to see a woman standing just outside their gates. She's younger than Maria. Maybe 30? Just as Joel and Tommy were making these internal calculations Maria strides up to them. 

“She's clean. I checked her myself.” Maria squeezes Tommy’s shoulder- the only semblance of greeting she grants her husband. 

“And..” She looks to Joel. Knowing what his question would be. “She’s good people. Guarantee it.” Maria gives Tommy a look of question- not for approval, but for agreement. Tommy nodded at her. 

“Let her through!” Maria shouted to the men at the gates below. Within a few seconds the metal clanged as the doors swung open wide for the woman below. 

  
  


_What's a game of chance to you,_

_To him is one of real skill_

_So glad to meet you, Angeles_

  
  


Maria is the first to greet her. Hugs and “how ya been’s” and “oh, you know, trying not to die”. The woman had an infectious smile. Damn near addicting. Tommy and Joel strode up to meet her. Tommy introduced himself but Joel couldn't hear him. He was too busy sizing her up. Her walk, her talk, the way she held herself, how many weapons she was carrying, how well put together said weapons were… He was a paranoid man. If this woman was going to be a danger to Ellie, he was going to find out now. Tommy may have been talking but Joel spoke nonetheless.

“You took a mighty big chance here, didn’t you?” Joel rocked back on his heels. His thumbs hooked into his belt. Casual, at a glance. Upon further inspection one would see the placement of his hands was intentional- as they were now within inches of his knife. 

“Pardon?” The woman asked. She had a slight accent. Midwestern. She'd traveled far. 

“If Maria hadn’t deemed you trustworthy, we would've shot you dead. That's a mighty big risk, ain't it?” Joel explained his question. He watched the gears turn in her head- sizing up the possible threat. Just as he did to her moments ago. 

“It was a risk. But I've never been one to shy away from a gamble.” The woman stuck her hand out to him. “Y/N Y/L/N.”

Joel looked her up and down before taking her hand. 

“Nice to meet you, Vegas.”

_Picking up the ticket shows there's_

_Money to be made_

_Go on, lose the gamble that's the_

_History of the trade_

“Damn you, Y/N Y/L/N.” Joel’s voice sounded and bounced off the walls of the small room they sat in. Y/N sat a foot away from him, playing cards scattered between them. 

“They don't call me Vegas for nothing.” She gave him a smirk and a wink as she picked the cards up to shuffle them again. 

“I call you Vegas. And you won ‘cause you're cheatin.” Joel sat back on his hand, one knee propped up with his arm draped over it. 

“Oh, I'm a cheater? You're just saying that because you don't like that a girl 20 years younger than you whipped your ass in some poker.” Y/N shuffled the cards in her hands, the cards sliding over each other with grace. 

“Shit, that makes me feel old. But yeah, you're a cheater. Got a card hidden up one of those sleeves or something.” Joel’s eyes danced with amusement as he watched her. Her hands were deft as they moved. It broke his heart to see the scars flecked across their surface. Such beautiful hands, such a horrible world.

“Up my sleeve, hm? Why don't you come check?” Y/N’s eyes met his. She was daring him to do something. Anything. The tension between them had been bubbling since that first day she showed in Jackson all those months ago. Now, since they were trapped in a lookout due to a rainstorm, they had all the time in the world to talk about… things. 

“You'd like that wouldn't you?” Joel looked at her, unsure of what exactly he should do. He knew there was something between them, but didn't know how to act on it. 

“Not as much as you would.” 

Joel reaches for her hand, shaking her sleeve gently. Seeing if any cards fell out. She slid her other hand to him, shaking it pointedly. He laughed softly and his hands reached to the bottom hem of her shirt. 

“Anything under there?” He let his fingers ghost across the skin there. 

“Christ, Texas, you're killing me.” She whispered his nickname. His heart ached a bit at the thought of Tess but he knew she'd want him to be happy. 

“Then take a risk, Vegas.” Joel’s lips were a hair’s breadth from hers. 

She pushed her lips to his, sighing. Months of dancing around each other. Playing these games. Finally, _finally_ , they found each other. Their lips slid together like the cards she was shuffling, long forgotten on the floor. He groaned softly into her mouth, his tongue dancing across her lips. She answered his silent question, lips parting for him. 

Joel gripped her waist and moved her into his lap. Y/N’s hands came up to his face, her palms to his cheeks. She scratched at his beard lightly and smiled into the kiss. Joel pulled away a bit to get a look at her. 

Her cheeks were flushed, both from the rising body heat and excitement of the moment. Her lips were slightly swollen- his doing. That thought alone made him twitch in his pants. Y/N giggled a bit at his stare. 

“Whatcha looking at, Texas?” Her hands travelled his chest, feeling the expanse of muscle beneath her and they came to land on his shoulders. Joel took advantage of the change and began kissing her neck. Alternating between feather light touches and sloppy mouthed tongue kisses. He kissed his way up her neck and kissed the shell of her ear.

“Just admiring the Vegas view, darling.”

_Did you add up all the cards left to play_

_To zero_

_And sign up with evil, Angeles?_

  
  


“God, what are you doing?” Joel shouted across the park to Y/N. She had ducked behind a small wooden platform just after she had chucked a snowball at him. Another small ball hit him in the head and he turned to see Ellie running behind the slide. 

“Having fun! Haven't you heard of it?” Y/N’s voice called out from her hiding place. She threw another snowball but he ducked that one. 

“No, I haven't, because we’re needed on patrol! C’mon now.” Joel tried to contain his laughter but Ellie ran up behind him and dumped snow on his head, making him chuckle. 

“Gotcha, old man.” Ellie smirked proudly and dashed off to join Dina and Jesse at the pavilion. Y/N came out of her makeshift shelter and walked towards him, giggling madly. 

“Oh, she got you good.” Y/N brushed off his shoulders and ran her fingers through his hair. He gave her a curious look.

“What? You got snow in your hair.” Y/N met his eyes, a mischievous glare in her own. 

“Yeah? Well, you got some snow on your face.” She seemed surprised as she couldn't feel any cold flakes.

“Right there.” Joel said, just before he kissed her. Y/N melted into the kiss, both because of the corny words and the luscious body heat he provided. He deepened this kiss and just as her knees began to shake he dumped a snowball over her head. 

“Damn you, Miller!” Y/N gave chase after the old man laughing his ass off. 

  
  


_Don't start me trying now_

_Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh_

_'Cause I'm all over it, Angeles_

“Joel, enough! You can't keep controlling her like this!” Y/N’s voice was stern but not loud- it was damn near one in the morning and she didn't want to risk a noise complaint from her neighbors. 

“You have no place telling me what I can and can't do, Y/N. You ain’t been there.” Joel was unnervingly still, as he usually was when Ellie was brought up. 

“That's bullshit, Joel, and you know it. I've been there for that girl for the last five years. I have every damn right-” 

“No, you don't! You weren't there! You have no idea what I've done for that girl!” Joel was shouting now- neighbors be damned. 

“You think I don't know? You think that wasn't one of the first things Tommy told me when we got together? That you killed those doctors? I'm fucking aware!”

Joel seemed shocked. Betrayed.

“Joel- that was too far. I'm sorry. But you have to listen to Ellie. I know it hurts but if she doesn't want you to be her dad-”

“If I ain't her dad, then you sure as hell ain't her mama.” Joel’s eyes were furious. He stared straight at Y/N. Regret shone in his eyes but he didn't speak of it. Y/N chuckled darkly, staring at the floor. 

“Fuck you, Joel.” 

Then she was gone. 

_I can make you satisfied in_

_Everything you do_

_All your secret wishes could right_

_Now be coming true_

_And be forever with my poison arms_

_Around you_

A knock came at Ellie’s door. Ellie’s footsteps were quiet as she unlocked it and peeked her head out. Joel was stood there, flowers in hand. 

“She doesn't want to talk to you.” Ellie kept the door tight to her, not allowing Joel any glimpses inside.

“Ellie- it's ok.” A quiet voice sounds from behind the girl and Y/N opened the door further. 

She's a mess. Her hair is knotty and tangled. Her eyes red. She looked like she hadn't slept in a week.

“What do you want, Joel?” She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, crossing her arms against the cool nights breeze. Joel had to fight the urge to give her his jacket- knowing she wouldn't take it.

“I uh-” Joel cleared his throat. The speech he had prepared came back to him in pieces. “I want to apologize. What I said was way out of line. I'm sorry.” Y/N nodded vaguely, some form of acceptance. 

“And I wanted to tell you that- shit. I'm not good at this.” Joel ran a hand down his face. “I wanted to say that I'm happiest when I'm with you. That you make me happier than anyone else on this damn planet. And I-” He took a shuddering breath. “I think I make you happy too.” Joel paused, trying to keep from fainting. The girl in front of him and the girl in the house behind her were the best things to ever happened to him- and he was fucking both of them up.

“I know that I'm not- shit, I'm not the best person. I'm not kind, or caring, or any of that. Maybe I'm the worst thing for you. But my mama always did say I was a selfish bastard. I can't be happy without you, Y/N. Please. Come home.” Joel finished his monologue and looked at Y/N and it was like he saw her for the first time again. She was smiling softly- but sadly. 

“Joel Miller. You are the best person I've ever known. And maybe you are bad for me. Maybe you're poison. But I've never been one to shy away from a gamble.” Y/N grabbed Joel’s hand and looked him in the eye. 

“Kiss me, Texas.” Joel about broke down crying. All the shit he’d pulled, all the hurtful words he’d said, and for some reason, she still loved him. He really was the luckiest son of a bitch on God’s green earth. 

“With pleasure, Vegas.” As their lips crashed again, there were no fireworks. No sparks flying. No. Their kiss felt to both of them like hot cocoa on a winters day. Like guitar by a campfire. Like pancakes in the morning. Like home. 

_No one's gonna fool around with us_

_No one's gonna fool around with us_

_So glad to meet'cha, Angeles_


End file.
